Many advice services offer appointments via telephone, email, or videocall as well as, or instead of, face-to-face.

Use Advice Local to find the best options near you. Enter your postcode and select ‘welfare benefits’ from the drop-down menu and search. This will tell you about any Citizens Advice, law centres, or independent advice agencies in your county. (Beware - it misses out ones in your area but in another county or borough. If you live near a county or borough border, definitely check you there isn’t a closer option by following the advice below).

If that doesn’t bring up a service that you can get to, check with Citizens Advice if there is a Bureau that helps with benefits problems near you. Many now offer advice over the telephone. 

Check if your local council has a welfare rights service. If you did not find their details in Advice Local search, check the council website, phone the council or ask in your local library. If you rent your home from a housing association, they may also have a service that can help you with your benefits. 

Check if there is a law centre near you.

If you are disabled, see if Disability Law Service can help you.

Scope offer telephone and email advice to everyone with a disability or caring for someone with a disability.

Some charities provide advice services for particular groups - for example, the Royal British Legion support people who have served in the armed forces and their families and even represent people at appeal. Check if there is a charity that provides benefits advice to people with your illness or disability. 

If you are a single parent, see if Gingerbread can help you.

If you are a carer, see if Carers UK can help you.

If you are an older person, see if Age UK can help you.

If you have nowhere else to turn, try your MP’s caseworker. These are not usually expert benefits advisers, but they will often be familiar with the problem and might well be able to help you.

If they say they are too busy….

If the organisation you contact says they are too busy, ask them to keep your name on a waiting list, or to tell you how long before they might be taking on new clients.

Ask if they know any other organisations you should contact for help if they cannot give you an appointment themselves.

Remember that if you have to go to an appeal, you are likely to have to wait a long time for the appeal hearing (6 -12 months, depending on where you are in the country) so you do have a bit of time to find an organisation which might be able to help you prepare for that.